Starting a Rivalry
by Boomfly
Summary: A brief story, about the beginning of the rivalry between James Potter and Severus Snape. Oneshot.


First class of the first year, very exciting. Severus and Lily have transfiguration together. Naturally they sit together at a table near the front of the classroom. The two boys from the train arrive late and sit in the only open seats. Which happen to be at the table with Severus and Lily.

Neither of the boys seem to be in the greatest of moods. They each offer stiff greetings and sit sullenly. Class seems to pass uneventfully. Lily and Severus watch their teacher with a sort of religious awe as they write down everything that is said; while the other two boys listen with a vague sort of irritation that they were even expected to be awake. They don't appear to take any notes, but they hold quills and lay parchment in front of them.

When class is over all four first years leave together. Lily gets pulled aside for a moment by a girl she met on the platform leaving Severus alone in the halls with two very bored young boys, who just happened to be James Potter and Sirius Black.

Both boys seemed to exude and air of confidence, even entitlement. They saw the smaller Severus Snape as prey. Severus has stringy black hair, a large curving nose, and a general air of sickliness. On another day when they were in better spirits or even just a little bit later in the same day the boys might have noticed that Severus was not a creature to be preyed on, but a creature to pity or even befriend. Sadly, at this moment in time both boys saw an opportunity for cruel amusement. They had no personal vendetta with him, they didn't even know him.

"Hey there. I'm James and you are?" He said confidently waving the boy closer.

At first the boy looked stunned to have even been spoken to, but he regained composure quickly. He moved over to them a little too eagerly showing his desperation for companionship. "I'm Severus," He answered and a shy smile played on his face.

"This is my buddy Sirius," James gestured toward Sirius and Severus' gaze followed his gesture. When Severus looked away he cast a conspiratory glance at Sirius who smiled.

Sirius jumped on the bait, "So _Severus_, is that a _family _name or were your parents just feeling _severely_ cruel the day you were born?"

Severus's eyes widened to the size of saucers, and for a moment the small horrified boy greatly resembled a house-elf.

James fearing the flight of their prey tried to lull him into a false sense of security, "Oh, don't look so wounded. He's not serious. He's only being Sirius."

"Huh?" Severus repeated. He was extremely confused at what he got himself into.

James smiled sickeningly, "Are you thick? I was making a joke. Relax."

Severus chuckled nervously feeling ill at ease with a smiling James and an indifferent Sirius. He knew something was wrong, but his brain was moving sluggishly. He couldn't figure out what to do. He had hoped to make some new friends at school, but these boys didn't seem to be them.

"So you're a first year like us?" Sirius asked knowing very well that no one older would take this kind of torment from a first year or be in his transfiguration class.

"Uhuh," he answered cautiously.

"Do you speak? I mean in full sentences and all. I haven't heard you say any real words yet." James said smirking.

Severus stuttered a reply, "Y-y-yes, I c-can s-s-speak in full s-sentences."

"Oh, so you've got a speech impediment. That's _nothing _to be _ashamed _of." Sirius said in such a way that Severus knew speech impediments were the kind of thing he thought someone should be very ashamed of.

Severus was horrified. They had caught him completely off guard. He didn't have a speech impediment they just made him nervous. He'd finally caught on to just what he'd gotten himself into and didn't take kindly to being made fun of. Severus used the first excuse he could think of to remove himself from their company in time to hear them fall into a fit of laughter behind his back.

They hadn't hexed him, or hurt him in anyway. But it was quite possibly the most pain James and Sirius could and would ever inflict on Severus Snape.


End file.
